Home Media Magazine - Agent DVD - July 2008 - (Page DVD44) *HORRORFILES ZOMBIE HOME THEATER Romero’s ‘Dead’ Romero’s franchise includes Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of the Dead (1985), Land of the Dead (2005) and now Diary of the Dead (2008). His zombies are slow-moving, non-verbal vestiges of humans, but they do regain some mind-body function in Land when they remember how to use weapons. The reason for re-animation of corpses is largely unexplained in the series, though news reports in the first film name radiation from a fallen space probe as the probable cause. Night and Diary both deal with the start of a zombie plague, while the other films have post-apocalyptic storylines. Romero admits to using his films to make sociopolitical commentary. “If I feel like I have something to say about what is going on in the world, I can bring back the zombies and George A. Romero do it,” he says. ‘Evil Dead’ In Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead films, unsuspecting cabin visitors use the “Book of the Dead” to summon evil spirits that possess, kill and re-animate their victims. “I am a big fan of the ‘Evil Dead’ films,” says legendary horror actor Robert Englund. And he isn’t the only one. The films garnered 13.5% of the fan vote in the Agent DVD poll for best horror franchise (see page 40). The series includes The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987) and Army of Darkness (1993). Raimi’s living dead are fully capable of quick movements and the use of weapons. ‘Resident Evil’ and the Virus Zombie Inspired by Capcom’s video game series, the franchise includes Resident Evil (2002), Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) and Resident Evil: Extinction (2007). The films follow heroine Alice (Milla Jovovich) as she battles the Umbrella Corp. and the zombie-inducing T-Virus it has unleashed. The undead are capable of speed and using weaponry. Despite Romero’s argument that virusinduced zombies aren’t dead and, therefore, are not zombies, a virus is used in more films than any other as an explanation for re-animation. Recent examples include 28 Days Later (2003) and 28 Weeks Later (2007), in which the entire British Isle is overtaken by a plague of flesh-eating undead. I Am Legend (2007) and Planet Terror (2007), respectively, have zombie-like creatures created with a mutated cancer vaccine and a biochemical gas. Spoofs and Cheese Like any idiom, zombies beg to be spoofed. A favorite is Shaun of the Dead (2004). “It is absolutely an homage [to Romero],” says the comedy’s director Edgar Wright. “We made the film within his universe.” The film follows Shaun (Simon Pegg) as he has an epiphany about his life and failing romance amid the first day of a zombie plague. Wright says the film purposely follows Romero’s guidelines with dim-witted, slow-moving, moaning zombies. And speaking of moaning zombies how about this year’s Zombie Strippers? “I think there has always been something subliminally sexual about zombie movies,” says Robert Englund, who stars in the film. “I’m not sure what it is.” We aren’t sure what it is either, but we bet it has something to do with his sexy co-star, adult film legend Jenna Jameson, as a zombie stripper. You can imagine the flexibility in this group of the undead. “It’s the perfect midnight movie,” Englund says. “A cheesy zombie movie.” AGENTDVD NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) Available on DVD ($19.97 40th anniversary edition) Genius Products/The Weinstein Co. DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978) Available on DVD ($49.97 four-disc ultimate edition) and Blu-ray Disc ($29.97) Anchor Bay Entertainment DAY OF THE DEAD (1985) Available on DVD ($19.97) and Blu-ray ($29.97) Anchor Bay Entertainment LAND OF THE DEAD (2005) Available on DVD ($14.98 unrated director’s cut) Universal Studios Home Entertainment DIARY OF THE DEAD (2008) Available on DVD ($24.95) Genius Products/The Weinstein Co. THE EVIL DEAD (1981) Available on DVD ($34.98 three-DVD set) Anchor Bay Entertainment EVIL DEAD II (1987) Available on DVD ($19.97) and Blu-ray ($29.97) Anchor Bay Entertainment ARMY OF DARKNESS (1993) Available on DVD ($12.98) Universal Studios Home Entertainment RESIDENT EVIL (2002) Available on DVD ($19.94) and Blu-ray ($28.95) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE (2004) Available on DVD ($19.94 two-disc set) and Blu-ray ($28.95) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION (2007) Available on DVD ($19.94) and Blu-ray ($38.96) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment 28 DAYS LATER (2003) Available on DVD ($14.98) and Blu-ray ($29.98) 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment 28 WEEKS LATER (2007) Available on DVD ($29.99) and Blu-ray ($39.98) 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment I AM LEGEND (2007) Available on DVD ($34.99 two-disc special edition) and Blu-ray ($35.99) Warner Home Video PLANET TERROR (2007) Available ($19.95 two-DVD set) Genius Products/The Weinstein Co. SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004) Available on DVD ($12.98) Universal Studios Home Entertainment ZOMBIE STRIPPERS! (2008) Coming to DVD October 2008 Sony Pictures Home Entertainment AgentDVD.com AGENTDVD JULY 2008 43 http://agentdvd.com
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